Last Modified: Saturday, August 17, 2013 at 4:42 p.m.

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The fourth annual Dirty Dancing Festival took place this weekend to pay homage to the 1987 cult classic film that made Patrick Swayze an icon and immortalized "Baby" with the quote, "Nobody puts Baby in a corner."

Part of the movie was filmed in Lake Lure, and thousands of people descended on the lake community Saturday to experience just a part of the movie they've idolized for over three decades.

Locals and out-of-towners alike came to celebrate different aspects of the movie they loved. Some were there because of the dancing. Some were there because they loved the movie soundtrack. Most were there because they loved the lead actor.

"We're Patrick Swayze fans," gushed Carol Croft.

She and three of her friends – Janice Sanford, Nancy Nivens and Debbie Zorn – made the trip from Orangeburg, S.C. The "girls' weekend" was a year in the making, Croft said.

"We wanted to come last year," she said, "but we didn't make it."

They made it this year. They watched the movie in the fields at Morse Park Meadows Friday night and carried watermelons and took dance lessons on Saturday.

For the majority of the festival-goers on Saturday – many who wore T-shirts and dressed like their favorite characters from the movie – the festival was just good fun to celebrate a movie they loved.

For Glenda Lazicki, the weekend had a much deeper and emotional meaning, however. Lazicki lost her husband, Ted, to pancreatic cancer last February. That's the same disease that took Swayze's life in 2009.

Lazicki and a large group of people were manning the watermelon carry station on Saturday. The group surrounding her was her family. Lazicki and her husband began vacationing in Lake Lure before he died. The Charleston. S.C. native discovered the festival last summer and she knew then that she wanted to be involved in some way.

"I said, 'we'll volunteer,'" Lazicki said. "I want to be a part of this."

Her entire family made the trip from Charleston to volunteer with her.

"There are no words," she said of having her family with her. "It's incredible. The support is exactly what's needed."

And it was more than just supporting Glenda Lazicki. It was honoring the family member they lost.

"This is one way to keep his legacy going and memorializing him," Lazicki's nephew, Chris Esdorn, said. By Saturday, the festival had raised more than $1,000 for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.

No matter what brought the festival-goers to Lake Lure, the most popular attraction was the dance floor. Whether they were listening to the music or learning to dance with Asheville Ballet, the dance floors were covered and surrounded. People danced. People watched other people dance.

And while it's unclear if everyone had the time of their life, festival organizers had a good time bringing the movie to life for the celebration.

"It's so much fun," festival Director Joe Beyersdorfer said. "It's a timeless movie. It just works for everyone."

<p>Nobody put Baby in a corner in Lake Lure on Saturday, but there were plenty of people on the dance floor having the time of their lives. </p><p>The fourth annual Dirty Dancing Festival took place this weekend to pay homage to the 1987 cult classic film that made Patrick Swayze an icon and immortalized "Baby" with the quote, "Nobody puts Baby in a corner."</p><p>Part of the movie was filmed in Lake Lure, and thousands of people descended on the lake community Saturday to experience just a part of the movie they've idolized for over three decades. </p><p>Locals and out-of-towners alike came to celebrate different aspects of the movie they loved. Some were there because of the dancing. Some were there because they loved the movie soundtrack. Most were there because they loved the lead actor. </p><p>"We're Patrick Swayze fans," gushed Carol Croft. </p><p>She and three of her friends – Janice Sanford, Nancy Nivens and Debbie Zorn – made the trip from Orangeburg, S.C. The "girls' weekend" was a year in the making, Croft said.</p><p>"We wanted to come last year," she said, "but we didn't make it."</p><p>They made it this year. They watched the movie in the fields at Morse Park Meadows Friday night and carried watermelons and took dance lessons on Saturday. </p><p>For the majority of the festival-goers on Saturday – many who wore T-shirts and dressed like their favorite characters from the movie – the festival was just good fun to celebrate a movie they loved.</p><p>For Glenda Lazicki, the weekend had a much deeper and emotional meaning, however. Lazicki lost her husband, Ted, to pancreatic cancer last February. That's the same disease that took Swayze's life in 2009. </p><p>Lazicki and a large group of people were manning the watermelon carry station on Saturday. The group surrounding her was her family. Lazicki and her husband began vacationing in Lake Lure before he died. The Charleston. S.C. native discovered the festival last summer and she knew then that she wanted to be involved in some way. </p><p>"I said, 'we'll volunteer,'" Lazicki said. "I want to be a part of this."</p><p>Her entire family made the trip from Charleston to volunteer with her. </p><p>"There are no words," she said of having her family with her. "It's incredible. The support is exactly what's needed."</p><p>And it was more than just supporting Glenda Lazicki. It was honoring the family member they lost.</p><p>"This is one way to keep his legacy going and memorializing him," Lazicki's nephew, Chris Esdorn, said. By Saturday, the festival had raised more than $1,000 for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. </p><p>No matter what brought the festival-goers to Lake Lure, the most popular attraction was the dance floor. Whether they were listening to the music or learning to dance with Asheville Ballet, the dance floors were covered and surrounded. People danced. People watched other people dance. </p><p>And while it's unclear if everyone had the time of their life, festival organizers had a good time bringing the movie to life for the celebration.</p><p>"It's so much fun," festival Director Joe Beyersdorfer said. "It's a timeless movie. It just works for everyone."</p><p>Reach Millwood at 828-694-7881 or at joey.millwood@blueridgenow.com.</p>